The passing of former Green Bay Packers President Bob Harlan at 89 marked the end of an era for the $5.6 billion franchise. However, for Oklahoma GM Jim Nagy, it triggers a powerful memory of the day his NFL career began.

“Very first day of my first job in NFL with Packers in 1996, Mr. Harlan called me up to his office. I was a PR intern, lowest person in organization at that time, and the team president spent an hour asking me about my family, college experience, and life goals,” Nagy wrote, recalling his pleasant memories. “Incredible lesson in leadership. Few men of his stature would’ve made time for a 22-year old kid like me. He spent the next two decades working in the league and never came across a finer man.”

For Nagy, that initial office meeting with Harlan wasn’t just a welcoming handshake. It became the standard for how executives should treat entry-level staff. It’s a leadership blueprint he has carried from the scouting trenches all the way to Norman, ensuring no intern ever feels invisible under his watch. Meanwhile, hearing the news of Harlan’s passing brought those early Green Bay days rushing back.

Harlan’s passing serves as a stark reminder to Jim Nagy that while football is a ruthless, results-driven business, its true foundations are built on human connections, which is something Harlan mastered during his storied tenure. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers announced on March 3 that Harlan passed away in Green Bay following a brief illness, with team historian Cliff Christl revealing he had recently been hospitalized with pneumonia.

When it comes to Jim Nagy, the Oklahoma GM always felt a pull to be an NFL scout. For that, he turned down opportunities to play small-college football after completing high school. But the decision came off as risky since there was a time when Nagy sent resumes and cover letters to every team in the pros, only to get rejected. His interest was mainly in the public relations role in the NFL. 

After facing a pile of rejection letters for internships, Nagy’s break came when the Packers gave the 22-year-old a chance. Harlan never looked down on him as a newbie and rather treated him with respect. As Harlan took Nagy under his wing, the young intern learned a lot about football operations that span a wide spectrum. Be it equipment, the trainers, or managing a full-fledged business with a PR arm, Nagy learned it all with Harlan’s help. Just like Nagy, the Packers general manager from 1991 to 2000, Ron Wolf, thanked Harlan for trusting him.

“He was great to work for,” Wolf said. “He did exactly what he promised and put me in charge of the football operations, and never once did he interfere.”

That’s how Harlan will never be forgotten for his contributions. In fact, he played an instrumental role in pulling the Green Bay Packers from obscurity.

Bob Harlan’s blueprint revived Green Bay and left a long-lasting impact on Jim Nagy

The winning culture Harlan built, marked by a Super Bowl XXXI victory and 13 straight winning seasons, was the environment Nagy first experienced, shaping his understanding of what a successful franchise looks like from top to bottom as the franchise enjoyed its finest stretch since the 1930s and ’40s.

Harlan’s contributions expanded to the off-field as well. He came with the $295 million redevelopment of Lambeau Field, launched ahead of the 2003 season. That was a move that cemented the franchise’s financial muscle for years to come.

Under Harlan’s leadership, the Packers operated like a polished business enterprise with strong public relations and organizational structure. With Nagy’s exposure in that environment, he can now bring the mindset to help the Sooners balance football with branding.

Though Bob Harlan is no longer around, the lessons he passed on continue to shape Jim Nagy. He will now have to live up to the faith the Green Bay Packers icon once showed in him.